It is important, particularity in larger industrial facilities, to properly and timely coordinate workers, equipment and materials to complete repairs and to complete preventive maintenance programs. Discrepancies in the allocation of these resources can result in significant equipment downtime and increased labor cost.
Software is available which is useful for establishing job plans and work plans. One such job planning software package is known as MAXIMO, a program developed and available from PSDI, Inc. This program assists a user in developing the actual work orders which will be issued to a work crew.
Another software program available which is useful in resource planning is a job standards program used to create, maintain and manipulate standards for maintenance work, that details the steps to be taken, materials and man hours/trades needed to complete a task, allowing a user to construct new standards using information retained in the database. For example AutoMOST™, available from H. B. Maynard and Company, Inc. is a software program that can perform this function.
In the present applicants' pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/443,649 filed Nov. 19, 1999 a software system for integrating and enhancing these programs for improved job planning in the preparation of work orders, using the job standards program is disclosed. However, while the integrated system improves planning on the maintenance resource side, there still remains the problem of efficiently coordinating with operations.
A typical work order will involve either preventive maintenance or emergency repair of equipment needed by operations. Before work can begin, steps must be taken by operating personnel for securing the equipment, and otherwise preparing for the mechanics to safely complete the assigned task. With preventive maintenance, scheduling is important, particularly if the time required will impact production. Should a work order be generated, without operations input, a mechanic may arrive to perform the work without the preliminary preparations having been completed. This can result in significant lost time as the mechanic waits for the necessary preparations to be completed with a consequent loss in productivity.